Mechatronics engineers, Nathan Batham and Maxwell Jones are the duo behind Product Design Lab. Based at Melbourne Connect Co-working, Product Design Lab (PDL) is a Melbourne-based product development studio specialising in helping high-impact researchers and startups transform their ideas into product-like prototypes. With a strong focus on MedTech and the commercialisation of health research, PDL bridges the gap between concept and market by creating prototypes that both look and function like the final product. These prototypes enable innovators to validate their ideas with users, attract funding, and build credibility, accelerating their journey toward market readiness.
Think of it as the concept car of product development - capturing the essential features needed to de-risk feasibility, desirability, and viability before moving into scaled production. PDL continues to support clients beyond this stage, in collaboration with trusted development partners and manufacturers to take their products through to full production.
Many researchers and founders understand the problem and the science behind their solution but lack the expertise to turn it into something tangible that clinicians, customers, or investors can connect with. That’s where PDL comes in. The team has collaborated with numerous University of Melbourne-associated ventures and research labs, including EyeCP, Chyral, Misti, Vysum, MeAbleX, Virtetic, Anura Medical, and ELLIS Medical Solutions.
Nathan Batham is a mechatronics engineer, designer, and founder of Product Design Lab, where he helps high-impact startups and researchers turn bold ideas into tangible, tech-enabled products. His journey into medtech was driven by personal experience: witnessing his mother’s neurodegenerative disorder and his father’s battle with dementia and cancer inspired him to pursue ways engineering could make a meaningful difference in healthcare.
Having worked in R&D alongside his degree at the University of Melbourne, Nathan eventually returned to the university, taking up a position as a research engineer. There, he developed lower-limb robotic exoskeletons to help people with spinal-cord injuries stand and walk. While working in research, he began supporting early-stage medtech founders and quickly recognised a critical gap in the innovation pipeline. While there was strong support for late-stage product development, there was little available for those trying to move from an idea or benchtop prototype to a commercially focused proof of concept product.
As more innovators sought his guidance, Nathan realised he could have a far greater impact helping many founders navigate this early “valley of death” than by focusing on a single research project. This insight led to the creation of Product Design Lab, a studio dedicated to empowering visionaries to transform early-stage ideas into real, functional prototypes that can change lives.
Maxwell Jones is a mechatronics engineer and founding team member at Product Design Lab. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, he previously led cross-functional engineering teams at the Melbourne Space Program, where he worked on complex engineering systems for high-performance applications. This experience cemented his passion for developing advanced, integrated technologies that push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Blending mechanical, electronic and software systems, Maxwell’s area of expertise is in understanding multi-disciplinary problems and developing end-to-end solutions that move the needle. Working closely with every client, he collaborates with innovators to shape and guide their vision at every step.
Passionate about working on cutting-edge technology and wanting to apply his expertise in areas where he could see the direct impact on his work, Maxwell teamed up with Nathan to build Product Design Lab from its infancy. Together, they lead the PDL team, helping innovators and researchers transform early-stage ideas into tangible, life-changing products.
